No fine for traffic rules violation in Gujarat till Oct 27; netizens call it 'election stunt'

The Gujarat government has announced that people will not be fined for violation of traffic rules during the Diwali festival this year.

Gujarat Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi made this announcement on Friday.

Addressing a gathering, he said that in view of the Diwali festival, traffic police in Gujarat will not collect any fine from the violators till October 27.

Sanghavi said the decision to give relief to people during Diwali has been taken by the state home department as per the guidance of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.

"From October 21 to October 27, the traffic police in Gujarat will not collect any fine from people. If anyone is caught without a helmet or driving licence or found violating any other traffic rule during this period, our police will give them a flower," the minister added.

Assembly elections in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled Gujarat are due by December end.

Govatsa Dwadashi, which was celebrated on Friday, marked the beginning of the Diwali festival this year. Laxmi Pujan, the main day of the festival of lights, will be celebrated on October 24.

Several netizens slammed BJP led Gujarat government for this decision. Some called it an 'election stunt', while many taunted the government calling it a 'revdi' and a 'freebie'. Terming it a 'bizarre' decision, many of the social media users warned that this amounted to putting people's lives at risk: